Manchester United 3 (Rooney-pen 30, Vidic 43, Valencia 66)
Wolves 0
A much changed Wolves side slumped to a 3-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford and with Bolton beating West Ham it meant a return to the bottom three for the Molineux men.
Mick McCarthy caused a pre-match surprise by starting just one of the team that had beaten Tottenham Hotspur - goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.
Kevin Foley captained a side that included George Friend, just recalled from a loan spell with Scunthorpe, and Stefan Maierhofer who took a lone role up front. Foley played in central midfield as opposed to his usual full-back slot.
With 2,500 travelling supporters behind them, Wolves kicked-off attacking the Stretford End but it was United that almost made an early breakthrough when Darron Gibson's shot broke off a defender to Wayne Rooney who was clean through. He looked a certain scorer but Hahnemann was off his line like a shot to block from the England striker.
All of the early attacking moves were coming from United and after Ronald Zubar had headed out a dangerous cross from Rooney, Maierhofer almost sliced a low centre from Gibson into his own net.
Hahnemann then made another close quarters save from Rooney who had flicked a Patrice Evra shot towards goal.
With 19 minutes gone Wolves were within a whisker of taking the lead. Greg Halford's long throw was headed on by Maierhofer and the ball bounced off Andy Surman into the path of Friend whose rising drive was a foot too high (pictured).
Former Albion keeper Tomasz Kuszczak made a hash of trying to collect a floated free-kick from Friend but a kind bounce allowed him to retrieve the situation before Maierhofer could take advantage.
Rooney went close again with a shot on the turn that took a deflection and ran just wide of the far post before United took the lead in the 30th minute following a Gibson corner.
As the ball came across it struck the raised arm of Zubar. The referee immediately pointed to the spot and Rooney made no mistake.
Five minutes before the break, Zubar almost fashioned an equaliser with a run down the right flank before cutting inside and delivering a low centre that flew through the home six-yard box with no-one able to get a touch. Seconds later the French defender went into the book for tripping Gibson.
But two minutes later United increased their lead, again following a Gibson corner. Home skipper Nemanja Vidic ran in to score with a powerful header that Hahnemann got a hand to but couldn't to prevent the ball from trickling over the line just inside the post.
In stoppage time Gabriel Obertan's cross-shot was cut out by Hahnemann who turned the ball behind. There was no time to take the corner.
Half-Time: United 2 Wolves 0
Obertan figured in the first goal attempt of the new half but his attempt to curl the ball under the angle was way off the mark.
Friend was presented with another chance after Surman had pulled the ball back for his but his shot was too high to trouble Kuszczak.
In the minutes that followed both sides made changes - Chris Iwelumo was sent on for Maierhofer, Matt Jarvis for Friend whilst United replaced Vidic with Darren Fletcher.
Hahnemann saved a 20-yard drive from Gibson but he was powerless to prevent United's third goal in the 66th minute. Paul Scholes played the ball into the box and Dimitar Berbatov's overhead flick dropped invitingly at the feet of Antonio Valencia who lashed the ball into the roof of the net.
Scholes was shown the yellow card after a late challenge on Segundo Castillo and Wolves made a final change with Dave Jones going on in place of Halford at the same time as Michael Owen took the place of Rooney for the home team.
Kuszczak punched a Jarvis centre off the head of Iwelumo but the action was soon back at the other end where Hahnemann had to kick the ball clear after he had failed to hold Danny Welbeck's drive.
Just before the end Surman took a cross from Jarvis but the ball wouldn't drop for him and his hopes of a consolation goal were lost as a defender blocked at the expanse of a corner.
United:Kuszczak, Evra, Berbatov, Rooney (Owen 76), Vidic (capt) (Fletcher 60), Carrick, Scholes, Valencia, Oberton (Welbeck 71), Gibson, De Laet.
Unused subs: Anderson, Foster, Park, Da Silva.
Booking: Scholes (69 - foul).
Wolves: Hahnemann, Halford (Jones 76), Hill, Mancienne, Zubar, Elokobi, Castillo, Surman, Maierhofer (Iwelumo 54), Foley (capt), Friend (Jarvis 60).
Unused subs: Hennessey, Ebanks-Blake, Henry, Berra.
Booking: Zubar (41 - foul).
Referee: S. Bennett.
Attendance: 73,709.
